The Flame Princess No More
by Hcobb
Summary: What happens when you toss Cyclops tears on the Flame Princess? Things get hot.  Revised for a more general rating.
1. Chapter 1

The Flame Princess No More

By Henry J. Cobb

[Adventure Time is the creation of Frederator Studios for Cartoon Network. This work is done without their knowledge or involvement. -HJC]

Why couldn't he just leave me alone?

I peeked around the boulder I was hiding behind. There was Finn, bending down to examine the tracks I had left. I was so sure that I had covered them this time. He looked up at me and I saw the bandages he had applied to his face and arm, to cover up the burns I had inflicted on him.

"Flame Princess!" He held out his good hand.

I turned and ran, the best I could. My flames were now so depleted. He had hounded me for days without rest. I marveled at his endurance, in his condition, then put all my attention into making my way through the rocks ahead of me. Here on the edges of the Fire Kingdom there was nothing to burn to recharge my flames, but soon I would be home.

I stopped. His hound Jake was running up in front of me carrying a bucket. It sloshed ominously.

I turned back towards Finn and gathered my flames. "So that's your plan. You mean to douse me to death!"

"No, Flame Princess." Finn grabbed me.

I blasted him with what little remained of my fires. His clothing caught fire and burned away as he screamed.

"Finn, no!" Jake tossed the contents of the bucket onto us.

I screamed as the water ate away at me, but now I was so weak I could not resist it. This time there was much less pain, but instead I felt numb and so very weak. I collapsed in Finn's arms and he collapsed under me.

I felt so chill. The only warmth available was from Finn's body and I instinctively snuggled up against it. I closed my eyes, too weak to move. Is this what death was like? But no, I continued to draw breath. I rested there for a minute in his arms, his warm breath on my shoulder.

"Flame Princess?"

I found the strength to look into Finn's face. His bandages were gone, but his skin was unblemished. I ran my hand over his cheek that had been so burned, along his arm that had been so damaged, down his chest. He was completely undamaged and totally nude. For the first time I saw a boy without any clothes on, and he was pressed up against me.

I noticed that my garments of ember were gone, washed away by the water. In spite of the chill in the air I pushed away from Finn's slacking embrace, rolled over to a sitting position, then stood and summoned my flames to recreate my dress. Nothing happened.

"Flame Princess?" Finn continued to stare up at me, at my nude form. He blushed.

"Don't look at me!" I reached out with all of my strength to blast him with my fire. Nothing happened. My strength exhausted, I fell, into his arms, and into darkness.

Sometime later I awoke to the sounds of a small fire and the smell of smoke. I opened my eyes and saw I was in a cave of some sort. There was a fire near the entrance and Jake was cooking something over it.

"Flame Princess?"

I turned to the sound of Finn's voice. He was sitting next to me, without a shirt on. I glanced down and saw that he was at least wearing pants.

"What have you done to me, Finn?"

"I didn't do nothing, I swear. I didn't even look at you, I mean after you fell asleep. It was Jake who dressed you."

"Dressed?" I pushed down the blanket I was lying under. I wore a thin shirt that was long enough to reach down to my thighs. I ran my hand down it and felt some sort of thin shorts under that.

"Sorry, but I only had one change of clothes in my backpack. So I had to split it. I swear I didn't look."

"What was in that bucket?"

"Cyclops tears." Jake brought over a bowl with a spoon in it. "The way Finn was getting burned I figured he was a goner without it. Sorry about splashing your highness."

"How dare you!" I raised my hand to burn him, but no flames arose. I stood and turned to the cave entrance. I saw that it was raining outside. With nothing left to lose, I walked out and stood under the rain.

The water did not cut through me. All I felt was a chill as it ran down my body.

"Flame Princess!" Finn ran to me and wrapped his arms around me.

Once again I instinctively accepted the warmth of his body and leaned against him.

"Come back inside, you'll catch your death out here."

"Let death claim me." I didn't look at him, but I didn't resist either, as he led me back into the cave and sat us down by the fire.

Finn picked up the bowl and raised a spoon of the soup to my lips. Soup?  
>So called food made up mostly of water? How absurd. But I drank from the spoon anyway. It's warmth comforted me and I was so very hungry.<p>

Finn raised another spoonful of the soup and I drank that down as Jake draped the blanket over our shoulders. Then I grabbed the bowl from Finn's hand with both of my hands and quickly drank the rest down. I felt no pain from introducing water into my body. Just a gentle warmth. Again I snuggled up against Finn as I sought the warmth of his bare chest to counter the chill of my damp shirt.

"Are you okay, Flame Princess? Do you want some more?" Finn took the empty bowl from my unresisting fingers and handed it to Jake.

"Stop calling me that." I closed my eyes as I snuggled against him, too ashamed to even look at what I was doing. I was acting like a small miserable creature, seeking what little warmth it could find. "I am obviously no longer the princess of the Fire Kingdom. Just call me Sholeh."

"Sholeh. It's a beautiful name for a beautiful princess."

I blushed and pushed away from him. I stared at his yellow hair, a sign of great strength amoungst the fire folk. I shook the image of his nude form from my head. "Didn't you hear me, fool? I am a princess no longer. I have seen what has happened to you water folk when they have wandered into my Father's kingdom. They have burned like this!" I leaned forwards and pushed my right hand into the flames under the soup pot.

"Flame Princess! I mean Sholeh. No!" Finn grabbed my shoulders and pulled me back against him. Then he stopped.

I looked down at my right hand. I was holding a piece of the fire in my hand. It wasn't burning my flesh. I didn't feel any pain at all, but I was just holding it. The flame started to die down as there was no fuel for it to burn. I pushed my strength into it and it brightened. Then I tried to draw it back into my body. The flame flattened against my palm but refused to enter. I closed my fist over it to snuff it out.

"Wow, Flame- er Sholeh. You do have fire powers."

"A pale flicker of my true flames." I stared into the tiny cooking fire as he sat down behind me and extended the blanket over us again. Once more I leaned back against his slight warmth.

"Sorry about the inconvenience, Sholeh. My boy Finn here gets carried away at times." Jake looked out at the sky then continued without looking back at us, "The rain will end soon. Will you be returning to your kingdom?"

"Not like this."

"Where will you go?" Finn's breath ticked at my ear as he spoke.

"It does not matter." I rested my arms on his arms that he had around my waist.

"Then come with us, to our house."

I found myself nodding then reached out my arm. "Another bowl please."

After the storm passed we rode on Jake's back back to their treehouse. It was an unfamilar mode of transport for me, as I had always moved under my own power before. Finn wrapped his arms around me to help keep me stable as I held the blanket wrapped around us.

At the house Finn introduced me to BMO, as Jake prepared dinner. Finn showed me a video game. I played for a few minutes then put down the controller and walked over to the window.

"Sholeh?" Finn walked up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders.

I reached up and put my hands on his. "I used to be able to cast fireballs from these fingers."

"Yeah, I saw, it was great. You went pow, pow, pow, pow, pow. That's why I thought you'd like that game."

"Such greatness is denied me now."

"No!" He turned me around to face him, and lowered his arms to encircle my waist. "I've seen lots of wizards cast fireballs, and they weren't ever made up of fire themselves. They didn't have your head start, with your ability to carry fire in your hands."

"What happened to them?" I looked into his blue eyes. The color of cool water or the very hotest stars.

"Well, I killed most of them." He looked towards the kitchen and raised his voice. "Jake, do we know a wizard who can teach Sholeh how to do fire magic?"

Jake walked in with a covered pot and placed it on the table. "The best one I can think of has been dead for a thousand years. Do you think she'll do it?"

"What?" Finn was startled for a moment, and then it dawned on him. "Yeah,  
>Marceline knows some fire spells."<p>

"The Vampire Queen?"

"You know her?" Finn turned back to me.

"She came and visited the Fire Kingdom five years ago. Everybody was so afraid of her. I tried to run out and see her, but Father had me locked up in that lamp you found me in. Is she really that dangerous?"

"Naw, she's a radical babe who likes to play games. She's cool, but she still spooks Jake, for fun."

"It sounds like you've had lots of fun with her."

"Oh, yeah. We've had lots of fun times."

"Sholeh."

I turned to Jake's warning tone of voice. "Yes?"

"Don't misunderstand Finn. For what he thinks of Marceline, she might as well be a guy named Marshall Lee. He doesn't really see her as a girl."

"But I once saw all her girl parts, before I saw all of Sholeh's. By accident. Both times. I swear!"

"Did you ever kiss her?"

"Naw, I don't do things like that."

"Not ever?"

"He's wanted to kiss Princess Bubblegum, since forever."

"You know Bonnibel of the Candy Kingdom?"

"Oh yeah, I've saved her lots of times. She's kissed me on the cheek, for thanks."

"But never on the lips?"

"Naw, she's been pushing me away lately."

"So no girl has kissed you on the lips?"

"Not that I can remember."

I leaned forwards to briefly touch my lips to his. "There. Now one has."

I left Finn standing there stunned by the window and turned to the table. "That smells delicious, Jake. What is it?"

"I don't know."

"Didn't you just make it?"

"Yeah, but I got the recipie from an old book, from before the Great Mushroom War. The title was missing from that page. Finn likes it, so I thought you would too."

"I call it Jake's special stew." Finn joined us at the table.

After dinner the boy and his dog showed me around their house.

Finn stopped at the top patio, a boat perched on the highest branch, and as he looked out at the sunset he said to me, "Are you sure you want to learn magic?"

"Yes, what use am I otherwise? Without my powers."

"No, don't say that. You're great, just the way you are."

"A powerless princess is just a trading pawn in the bigger game. A trophy to keep in a lamp in the middle of the court. We had all heard the story of the great warrior of the grasslands. I can see why my father jumped for joy, to be able to trade a troublesome daughter for a mighty ally."

"No!" Finn grabbed my hand and held it to his chest. "Do you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"That's the power you have, the power to make my heart dance. But, if magic will make you happier then I will do whatever it takes to get it for you. It's time. Let's make that call." He turned to the ladder.

"Can't we call out from here?"

"No, on the phone."

Finn led me down to the main room and spoke into a device there. "Hi Marceline, it's me Finn. I brought the Flame Princess home. She says her name's Sholeh and she wants to learn Fire Magic. So please come on by when you get this message."

"When she gets the message? Who were you talking to?"

"Her machine."

I wondered how it was that Finn knew so many secrets of the Land of Ooo,  
>without knowing a single spell. I held back a yawn.<p>

Finn looked over to me. "Oh, sorry. You need a good night's rest. No point waiting around for Marceline. It can be several nights before she checks her messages."

I followed him back to his room and he picked out another long shirt and undershorts for me. "Sorry about the selection. We can go over the bridge to the Candy Kingdom tomorrow. Princess Bubblegum has got all sorts of fancy girls clothes."

He then led me to the bathroom and showed me how to work the shower.

"You wash with water?"

"Yeah. Oh, sorry, water. Ummmm."

"No. I am a water creature now, so I must do what I must do."

He left. I undressed, stepped into the shower and let the hot water splash over me. It was a novel experience and not at all unpleasant. I applied soap, rinsed that off, then turned off the water, stepped out of the shower, myself off, and got dressed again.

"Oww!" Finn shouted from the shower. "Sholeh, you used all the hot water!"

"Why would I use cold water?"

"Yeah, I guess. No worries, I can take it." He showered for a third the time I had, then came back to the bedroom in his pajamas. He grabbed a blanket and pillow from the closet and turned to the ladder.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go sleep on the couch. My bed ain't fit for a princess, but it's all I have to offer you tonight."

"No."

"No?"

I lay down on the bed and held the blanket up. "Sleep here."

"What?"

"It's cold out on the grasslands at night and thanks to you I don't have my fire powers to keep me warm. So you will, with your body."

"But, we're a boy and a girl. We can't sleep together."

"And why not?"

"It ain't proper."

"Jake, if Finn tries anything improper tonight, bite him."

"Will do, your highness." Jake didn't stir from his bed in a drawer and didn't look over at us.

"What?" Finn asked his friend.

"Sorry, Finn. Best do as she says. We wouldn't want her family to angry at us. That's why I went to get the cyclops tears. Burning is such an ugly way to die."

"How did you make him cry? Did you hit him?"

"Naw, I just told him a real sad story and his tears came down in a gusher."

"Oh, what was the story about?"

"It was about a buddy of mine who chased after a girl who only burnt him."

"I'm sorry about that. Now, Finn, get in this bed. I won't bite, but I am freezing."

"Alright, alright." Finn lay flat beside me with his arms to his sides.

I reached over to drape one of his arms around me, then snuggled back against him. He seemed tense, but in a few minutes I had drifted off to sleep.

I slept better than I had for years, without the pursuit of the past few days, and without the constant anxious stares of the court on me every moment. That was until I was awakened by the sound of laughter.

"Huh?" I turned over and sat up, disentangling myself from Finn's right hand which had reached over me to clutch at my chest and his left hand which had reached under to grab me by the waist and pull me against him.

There was a figure floating in the darkness of the room. She snapped her fingers and candles alit all over the room. From the stories I had heard this could only be Marceline, the vampire queen.

"Huh?" Finn sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Well, well, isn't this a comfortable scene." Marceline gestured and the blanket scooted down to our feet. Then she transformed her nose into bat nostrils and sniffed the air. "And what's this? You've turned Sholeh human? How did you do that, Finn?"

"Don't tell her." I reached over to put my hand on Finn's shoulder.

"Uh, I'm not sure about all the details."

"Don't bother lying to me, Finn. Just keep quiet and spare yourself the embarrassment. So, Sholeh. I can see why you might desperately need magic powers. Are you willing to pay the price for them?"

"Marceline!"

"Stay out of this, Finn. This is not between you and me. It's between me and her royal highness. Sholeh, are you prepared to pay my price to regain your high office? You don't need to you know. Just stay like this and Finn will always be rushing around to rescue you."

I frowned at her. "What is your price?"

"A price fit for royalty. Droit du seigneur."

I knew the term, but I doubted that Finn did. "I won't let you have Finn."

"I've told Finn many times that I'm not interested in him, that way. My greatest weakness isn't sunlight, it's redheads. That's why your father so urgently locked you away and kept you under constant guard after I visited your kingdom. He needn't have bothered. At eight you were too young, but now..." She drifted over the bed, reached down to grab my chin and turned my face gently from side to side. "Let's just say I love the new look. With you around, Bonnibel will need some new hook to capture my interest."

I swallowed. "Is that all, just one night?"

"That's not even half of it, and how much do you think you can learn in just one night? I will possess you, body, blood and soul. I will reach into the furthest depths of your mind and heart and I will shape you to my whim. There will always be a part of you in me and a part of me in you. And whenever I fancy, I shall return to taste of you again. On those many nights to come I will gladly share you with Finn, either beside you,  
>or looking out through your eyes. That is my price. And for that price I will teach you the greatest secrets of magic. I do this not to be cruel,<br>but I know the many perils of the greatest spells, and the only way I can ensure that you do not step over some horrible line, is to wear your feet myself."

"I..." I stared up into her terrible eyes and caught the faintest hint of the dangers she spoke off.

"Hush, sweet princess." She held one finger up to my lips. "I will take no positive answer tonight. I will wait until you have judged the situation to your complete satisfaction. I will require only your complete subjugation and uncondtional surrender, without any reservation on your part. It will take a while for you to come around to that. So please,  
>enjoy the human condtion, while you can. As a further bonus you can be assured that no demon will ever be able to take possession of you and turn you against Finn, for the demon who will have complete possession of your soul bears him no ill will at all. So think carefully over my offer while I fly off to tell your father that his daughter is safely in the custody of my henchman." She laughed again and the candles were all extinguished by a sudden gust of wind. Then her laughter faded away to silence.<p>

I searched the shadows with my eyes for several minutes and then I heard Jake's quavering voice say, "Is she gone?"

"I can see why you fear her."

"No." Finn grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face him. "Marceline likes to play these games. She wouldn't hurt a friend of mine."

"This is no game, Finn."

"She's got to have her reasons for this."

"I can guess as to what they might be."

"Sholeh."

"Hold me, Finn."

He did, but it wasn't as comforting this time. I lay there with him snoring in my ears for a few hours before finally falling asleep again. My dreams that night were filled of visions of Marceline forcing me to do horrible things, to a horrible delight that filled my soul.

-HJC


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning I was awakened by the smell of something delicious. I sat up in bed and stretched, then looked around the treehouse bedroom. I was alone, but I heard sounds from downstairs so I went down the ladder.

"Morning, Sholeh." Finn looked up from the game he was playing on BMO.

"Good morning Finn," I turned to the kitchen, "and Jake. That smells wonderful."

"Nothing special," The dog answered from the kitchen, "Just my usual flapjacks. Come take a seat, and dig in."

Finn saved his game. BMO's face replaced the game and he turned to the window as Finn followed me into the dinning room.

Jake explained that the items on the dish were pancakes, eggs, bacon and toast, with juice and coffee in the cups.

"They're all very nice, but the juice is a little cold."

"Ah, sorry your highness. I'll switch that to heated cider next time."

"Is this the first time you've had food?" Finn asked.

I turned to him and tried to explain the different thermodynamics of the flame-folk and the water-folk, but he was soon lost. So I offered another explanation. "Items such as these can not exist in the Fire Kingdom. They would burn up."

"Oh, yes. I get it now."

I felt a strange feeling. I rose and walked over to the south window, and looked towards my distant homeland. I could just see the tops of the tallest volcanoes from here.

"Sholeh, is something the matter?" Finn put his hand on my shoulder.

"No, it's nothing." I turned to him, then looked up at the sound of the wings of a large bird.

"It's Princess Bubblegum, and she's got packages." Jake looked out the west window and took off his apron.

"PB!" Finn raced down the ladder.

I stood there for a moment.

"After you, my lady." Jake gestured towards the ladder.

"Yes, of course." I glanced down at the thigh length shirt I wore. Entirely unfitting for royalty, but I wasn't that anymore. I walked outside and saw Bonnibel dismount from Morrow, who stood next to two boxes.

"Sholeh!" The princess of the Candy Kingdom ran up and hugged me. "It's so good to see that you are safe."

"As safe as I can be, Bonnibel. Given the current circumstances."

"Oh? Did Finn?"

"Finn has been a perfect gentleman, in his own way. I speak of the change in my nature."

"Yes, Marceline told me. I could hardly believe it, but here you are."

"How many others has she told?"

"She said she had just informed your father and then flew straight to me." Bonnibel leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Don't worry about it. Few have the courage to bother her and now she's sleeping in my bed." Then she leaned back and looked me over. "Finn's hand me downs really don't suit you. Let's get you dressed up as a proper princess. Boys, take my packages inside please."

"Sure thing, PB." Finn grabbed one of the boxes and Jake grabbed another.

"Take those up to Sholeh's room."

"Uh, she sleeps with me."

"Oh?" Bonnibel turned from Finn to myself, but remained silent until we reached the bedroom. "Boys, I've got some things for Sholeh to try on, so can we have some privacy please?"

"Sure thing, PB." Finn went down the ladder with Jake.

Bonnibel waited for the sound of the video game to start up and then turned to me, "Sholeh, there are certain propitiates that a princess must see to."

"I am no longer the princess of the Fire Kingdom. I'm no longer even a member of the fire-folk. I'm just an ordinary water-girl now."

"Sorry, but being a princess isn't something that you can ever give up. Now let's attire you in a more fitting manner."

I didn't resist as she lifted the shirt over my head.

Bonnibel looked like she wanted to laugh when she saw me in just Finn's underpants, but helped me out of those also. She walked around me. "I see that Marceline seems to have taken down your measurements correctly, but let's check the fit anyway."

She helped me dress in undergarments, dress and boots. I supposed I was going to have to get used to wearing such things, now that I could no longer create my garments at whim.

I sat as she brushed out my hair. Then she stood back for a moment and said, "Let's show this to the boys, shall we?"

We went downstairs and Finn dropped the game controller when he saw me. "Wow, you look like a real princess. I mean, I know you're really a princess and all, but."

"Now, can you please tell me how this all happened."

"Uh, sure thing, PB."

"Your highnesses, this might take a bit. So would you like some tea?"

"That sounds like an excellent idea, Jake." Bonnibel led me to the dinning room table.

Finn followed and sat next to me.

The boys told Bonnibel the story of what had happened to me since leaving the Fire Kingdom, with Jake pointedly leaving out one detail.

"So this cure, it's something alchemical?" Bonnibel asked.

"It's more like a curse!" I finally interrupted.

Finn jerked back from me at this and looked down at the table.

"Well, we've got so much more to try on. Please excuse us, boys." Bonnibel led the way up the ladder again.

She let me try removing the first set of clothes and putting the next set on myself, only helping with the zipper, which for some strange reason went up the middle of my back where I couldn't reach it.

"So, what are your plans?" She asked me.

"What does it matter? I'm an ordinary water-girl without my elemental powers. Maybe I should take up Marceline's offer and become her puppet. It's not like my life has any importance."

"Nonsense. Sholeh, you are now the one person at the center of everything on Ooo."

"The center of everything is how my Father described the one creature on Ooo he feared even more than the Lord of the Nightosphere, the dread Princess Bubblegum."

"Me, but I'm just an ordinary water-based girl with no great elemental powers."

"Touche."

"Finn seems quite smitten with you. What are your intentions towards him?"

"I'll just stay here with him. He owes me that much."

"I'm afraid that's not an acceptable course of action for a princess. You must either return home to the life of the Princess of the Fire Kingdom, or if you remain here it must be as the Princess of the Grasslands."

"I can't return home, I've burned down that bridge. So you want me to marry this great Prince of the Grasslands? Sure, whatever. Finn seems nice enough."

"An excellent choice. And as for Marceline's offer, well she made the same to me. I've found my own way instead. I've made some mistakes along the way, but these have been my mistakes. I hope that I'm stronger for them. Let's go show the boys this outfit, shall we?"

We went downstairs and Finn sprinted over to me.

"Wow, it's even better than the last one."

"It's a pity that she can't keep it."

"What? PB, are you taking the clothes back?"

"Well they'll just burn up if she returns to her homeland, and as a princess she must either return to her homeland or stay with the one she marries. Do you know of somebody she can marry, Finn?"

Finn went down on his knee and grabbed my hand. "Sholeh of the Fire Kingdom, will you marry me?"

I grabbed onto his hand, guided him to his feet, kissed him on the lips and stood there face to face, our arms wrapped around each other. "Finn the Human, Prince of the Grasslands, yes. Yes, I will."

"A royal wedding? We must prepare at once. Come along with me, Sholeh."

"Huh? Can't she stay with us?"

"I'm sorry, Finn, but there are too many details to arrange. And it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. If we start today we can have the invitations out and everything arranged for a wedding to be held in seven days time. Is that too soon?"

"Uh no, PB. That's great."

"I will see you in the Candy Kingdom in seven days time. I'll send somebody out to help you get prepared before then."

We all went outside and Bonnibel whistled for Morrow.

Finn looked so pensive standing there I stepped up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Then I turned and Bonnibel helped me mount the bird. She wrapped her arms around my waist to steady me as the great hawk leapt into the sky. We circled the treehouse once, then set off in the direction of the setting sun, towards the Candy Kingdom. 


	3. Chapter 3

As we spiraled down towards the towers of the Candy Kingdom, I turned back towards Bonnibel, rather than continuing to look down and contemplate the effect a fall from such a height would have on my now more fragile water-based body. "These boots you selected for me."

"Yes? Is there some problem? From Marceline's report I thought we wore the same size of boots."

"No, they're very comfortable. It's just that I always thought princesses would wear higher heels, at least those princesses who wore shoes at all."

"Oh, sorry. It's an aspect of my half-human constitution. I have trouble maintaining my form if I put too much stress on my extremities."

"And?"

"Ah, my dear Sholeh. You are starting to be able to read me. Yes, there is another reason. I yield a height advantage to princes so they can tower over me and feel in control. It makes my requests seem all the more reasonable."

"Suddenly I feel like I've been taken hostage by the true master of Ooo."

"Then your education has truly begun. I could easily have arranged your wedding for three days out, but I can only cover the very basics in a week's worth of lessons. So please stay close and pay close attention."

"And for the rest of your curriculum?"

"I expect you'll be a frequent guest of my hospitality. You will live just over the river from my modest realm, after all."

"Right next to the only bridge across that river."

"My, what a coincidence that is. Please hold on for landing."

I bent forwards and held onto Morrow's neck as he spread his wings and flapped rapidly then bent his legs to take the shock of landing. He sat down and Bonnibel dismounted, then helped me step down.

"Welcome home, your highness. How shall I announce our guest?"

I turned to look down on a strange creature. It was a disk with a face, and limbs attached to this. He wore the suit of a high ranking palace servant. "Please don't."

"Sholeh, this is my trusted servant, Peppermint Butler. He can show you to a guest room in which you can stay for the next week."

"Sholeh, the princess of the Fire Kingdom?"

"As you can see, she is in a transitional phase. As hosts we must respect her privacy, while we prepare the Candy Kingdom for a royal wedding."

"My lady?"

"Her's."

"Oh."

"Sholeh, I'm sure you'll want to get settled in now, but you'll join me for a private dinner later?"

"But of course." Like I had much choice.

"This way, if you please, your royal highness."

I followed the strange little man down the stairs and we soon arrived at a suite that was larger than the total space in the treehouse. I opened the closet and found a dozen different changes of clothing.

"Is there anything you require, your royal highness? We so seldom get a visit from a member of the Fire Kingdom royal family."

I turned back to him. "How much time until dinner?"

"A few hours. Is there something special you would like? Cherry, maple, cedar, hickory, coke, or other types of coal?"

"Just water-folk food, but nothing cold. Also draw me a bath please."

"I'm afraid we have no lava on hand."

"Water, the hotter the better."

"A most unusual member of the Fire Kingdom royal family indeed."

"I no longer burn, but somehow I still live."

Peppermint Butler showed me how to use the facilities then left.

I undressed and hesitated only a moment before dunking my body into water for the first time in my life. The bath was not unpleasant and I soaked off the chill from the flight. I marveled at the difference in the index of refraction between water and air. This was so much more abrupt than my previous experience with shimmers caused by differences in air density driven by temperature that I had seen in the Fire Kingdom.

Finally I decided I had wasted enough time. I washed my hair, then rose, toweled myself off, wrapped the towel around myself, and walked to the closet. I stood there for several minutes looking over the selection.

"You don't like them?"

I turned around and faced Bonnibel, who was standing just inside the closed door. "Am I to be spied on in every court?"

"Yes. But please forgive my excitement. I've never had a sister before."

"A sister?"

"You'll work it out. But please keep it hush, hush. It will be very dangerous for you when this gets out."

"Your father, he claimed kingship over all of Ooo?"

"And there will be another. So please, your Majesty-to-be, let your humble sister-to-be here, help you with the selection for tonight. We will of course make you new things, once you have settled on your own royal patterns." Bonnibel unwraped the towel from my body then selected undergarments, blouse, stockings, skirt, shoes and jacket to dress me in.

I looked over the result in the mirror, and wondered if it left too much of my arms exposed. "Jake said that Finn has wanted to kiss you."

"I kissed him once on the lips, before I knew."

"So, you are not that kind of sister?"

"I have read the stories of madness from before the fall. The world has seen enough of that."

"When will you tell Finn?"

"When he is ready and able to take and hold the throne. I have also read of the problems that boy kings have faced. I think I can keep the lid on the anarchy for another half dozen or so years. And then it will be a burden I will pass to you, my dear sister. You will need to find the means to balance the passions of the lands against the passion of the king. Doesn't it sound exciting?"

"It sounds like I'm being setup to take on the weight of the world, while you take it easy."

"Oh, I'll be doing my best to support you and him."

"So what is for dinner?"

"My surprise. I think you'll like it." Bonnibel led me by the hand to a high balcony and bid me sit with her at a table there.

Peppermint Butler was a few steps away. He had put an apron over his suit and was tending food items that were cooking over a fire that was contained in a rectangle made of bricks.

There were questions I still had, but Bonnibel looked out towards the sunset over the Rock Candy Mountains. She seemed to be waiting for something.

Peppermint Butler put the food out in front of the three chairs at the table. My setting had a selection of cooked meats, fruits and vegetables, along with a steaming hot cup of apple juice. Bonnibel's setting had fruits, pastries and an ice-cream based drink. The third setting had meats, fruits, vegetables and tomato juice, but everything for that setting was red or pink.

"My Lady?"

Bonnibel looked down at him. "Yes?"

"Will there be anything else?"

"Not for me. Sholeh?"

"No, it all looks delicious. Thank you."

"Very well. Call when you need me." He walked off.

I turned back to Bonnibel, but she held up one finger and turned towards the castle.

A dark shape flew out from the castle and settled down into the third seat. It was Marceline, the Vampire Queen. She smiled at me. "This is an interesting development. Will Finn be joining us also?"

"In a week, when they get married."

"Oh." She turned to Bonnibel. "So you will be putting on one of your big events? Sounds far too crowded for me."

"Nonsense. Stay two more days under my roof so that by our three-night rule you become my possession. I have a potion to cure your condition. Then you can get a quick tan. I'll dress you as my proper princess and shop you around to the many eligible princes who will be attending. You can bring your many children around every festival day so that I can play with them."

"No, no." Marceline leaned over to kiss Bonnibel's cheek. "Eventually it will be you who will accept my hospitality for three nights in a row. I shall suck all the red from your face and hair and you will become my eternal sweet silver princess of the night, forever more."

"And yet I am to be Bonnibel's guest for an entire week?"

"The rule only applies to us." Marceline put her hand on Bonnibel's. "Immortality requires rules to make time precious again. I get the hint and will leave Bonnibel with her new doll. For now."

"At least stay for dinner, Marceline. He worked so hard on it."

"Yes, I must never disappoint your butler, no matter the disapproving looks he gives us in the mornings."

"Those are for me. I get those even on the mornings without you."

Over dinner Marceline related her tale of the visit she had made to the Fire Kingdom when I was a child. Afterwards she urged Bonnibel from the table, wrapped her arms around her, bent her far over and kissed her deeply. While Bonnibel rested with eyes closed in her arms, she moved her mouth down lower and every so gently ran her fangs over Bonnibel's neck. Then she righted the princess of the Candy Kingdom, and bent down to kiss her wrist. She backed up a step, bowed, then floated away to the south on her back, blowing one final kiss.

Bonnibel waved at her and then turned to me. "She does know how to put on a show, doesn't she? Normally it would be up to the host to provide the after dinner entertainment, but you are my student." She pointed at the fire. "My dear Sholeh, won't you juggle some fireballs for me?"

"Is that why you picked out a short sleeve outfit for me?"

"Is there some problem with that?"

"My elbows are cold."

"Then dig in."

I reached into the flames and pulled out a pair of fireballs with each hand. I tried to duplicate the juggling trick my father's jester had done so often, but as the fireballs left my touch they faded away to nothing.

"Perhaps with practice?"

"Perhaps. It's just that I am used to extending myself into fires, like reaching out my hand to touch something."

"There's one more thing I'd like to try tonight. It helps me relax and keeps both sides of my nature limber and flexible." Bonnibel grabbed my hand and led me to a room where she had us strip and then put on robes made of a towel like material before stepping into a room that was filled with steam. "This is as hot as I can stand, are you comfortable?"

"Far too comfortable. It is as I have feared."

"I have heard the tales of the steam-folk, of the isle of steam. Are these true?"

"The pirate prince of the steam-folk exists and our kingdom is nearly surrounded by his fleets. What little trade we have goes through the grasslands. The only limit to our hostilities has been our mutual incapacity to hold each other's kind hostage. If my father the Fire King were to learn that I was now one of them... He would dispose of the problem himself."

That night sleep eluded me so I got up and walked across the corridor. Her door was unlocked and I found Bonnibel reading a book by lamplight. She looked up at me and put the book aside. "Is there some problem?"

"It is too cold, all alone."

"Ah, come sister and sleep with me then." She held up her blanket and I lay down beside her. "It's a good thing I sent Marceline on her way then." She blew out the lamp and put her arm around me.

Her embrace was not as warm or as comforting as her brother's, but I finally drifted off to sleep. 


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning I was awakened by a sudden flash of light. I blinked and reached over, but Bonnibel was not beside me. I sat up and saw that Peppermint Butler had just thrown open the curtains. "Hello."

"Was there some problem with your bed, your highness?"

"It was just a little cold."

"My apologies. I will ensure that a proper fire is set in your fireplace tonight. Unless you'd like to sleep in the fireplace?"

"No, that won't be necessary. Where is Princess Bubblegum?"

"Her highness is having breakfast in her private dinning room. Put this on and I will show you the way there." He tossed a comfortable robe at me.

I caught it, stood, and wrapped it around my slip. He handed me a pair of padded slippers and I put these on also.

He walked briskly out of Bonnibel's room and I followed. I found Bonnibel sitting in front of a half-eaten breakfast. She put down the letter she was reading as I took my seat.

"Good morning, Sholeh. Sorry about slipping away, but you looked so peaceful and matters of state are always pressing."

"No, I slept well until..." I paused as Peppermint Butler entered with my plate and cup, then watched as he walked out again.

"What did he say to you?" Bonnibel smiled at me.

"He suggested that I sleep in the fireplace."

"He did? How interesting." She raised a finger to her chin.

"Now you've started to think about something."

"Yes, but give me a few minutes to work it out."

"Why do you have candles lit at the breakfast table when they add hardly any light compared to the sunlight coming in the window?"

"As you have seen, I have a frequent guest at my table who has an aversion to sunlight, but these are for you."

"Somehow I think that I will no longer find wax the treat I used to."

"No, not for that." She brushed her stiff gummy pink hair away from her face. "Do try the dishes that have been prepared for you, so you can tell him how good they were."

"Oh yes, we must always please your butler."

"I've found that to be the wisest course of action at all times." Bonnibel picked up a fork and returned to her meal, as I started on mine. I didn't want it to grow cold after all.

After we finished our plates, she asked if I wanted any more and when I said I was satisfied with the meal given to me she pointed back to the candle. "Pick that up please."

"The candle?"

"No, the flame. Grab a copy of it and hold it in your hand."

I reached over and plucked away the candle flame between my right thumb and forefinger.

"Ah, but now you've taken away the flame. So please relight it, while keeping a copy with you."

I pushed my hand forwards and touched the flame I carried to the wick until it started up again then pulled my hand back with the flame balanced on the tip of my forefinger. "Is this all?"

"Yes, now keep that flame lit, at that size, all day today."

"I think my arm will get stiff if I have to hold it away from my clothing all day."

"You can switch hands as needed."

"And the point of this is?"

"Since you can no longer rely on your inner flames you must grow used to carrying a fire along with you."

"Oh."

"Do you mind if I ask some questions about the steam-folk?"

"I guess it can't hurt. You would find the answers through your close examination of myself, after all."

"I am not so sure about that. What happens to the steam-folk who are brought to the royal court of the Fire Kingdom?"

"Steam rises from them constantly. Within a few hours they begin to complain about a great thirst and beg for water, which we do not have. A day later they are unable to speak, and within a further day they die of their thirst then burn up. I have already imagined this horrible fate befalling myself, once I am returned home."

"Have you even once seen them hold flame as you are doing?"

"What?" I looked down at the flame on my finger then back to her. "No, I haven't." The fire went out as my concentration slipped so I reached again for the candle flame.

"Hold." Bonnibel held up her hand. "Let's skip the fire for a little while. We need to get ready for court." She took me by the hand and lead me to her bathroom, which had a larger tub than the guest room. We removed all of our clothes and looked over each other for a minute, then got in the bath. We washed each other all over then she sat behind me and braided my hair.

"You can not braid your own hair?" I asked her.

"No, it's too gummy. While it is occasionally very useful, mostly it's a pain to deal with."

She then had us dress in more elaborate dresses than before. She had me examine myself in her mirror, then she led me up the stairs to the top of one of the highest towers in her castle. There was a circular table with two chairs and an open window in each of the north, east, south and west walls. She released my hand, sat at the table and smiled at me.

"This is a test?" I looked around the room.

"But of course."

"Any clues?" I turned back to her.

"No, I'm afraid not." She looked directly at me and did not let her gaze wander.

I turned to the south window, but could only make out the very tops of the smoke clouds from my distant kingdom. Then I turned to the east window and leaned against the window ledge as I strained to catch a glimpse of the distant treehouse.

"Where is your home now, Sholeh?"

I didn't look back at her. "The treehouse. I ache to be held by my prince Finn again."

"You pass the test. We will send out the wedding invitations today. Come along, we have court business to attend to."

"You mean you do."

"And you have much to learn. So pay close attention."

Bonnibel sat in her throne and heard the cases and reports of her many Candy Kingdom subjects. She had me sit in a chair next to her with a flame in my hand. Whenever my attention wavered and the flame went out I had to stand and walk across the chamber to get a flame from a lamp. I thought the entire thing was ridiculous, but the Candy people were too awed at the presence of a fire-folk princess to raise their voices at this.

A half dozen princesses and other nobility joined us at the high table of the grand dinning hall for lunch, with dozens of retainers seated throughout the hall. Bonnibel waited for all to take their seats, and then she stood. "My dear friends, we have as you see, the princess Sholeh of the Fire Kingdom visiting with us today. The occasion for her visit it that we shall be the host for her royal wedding in six days time to Finn, Prince of the Grasslands."

Bonnibel sat back down with a slight smile on her face. The hall erupted into a dozen heated conversations as the other princesses glared at me.

"That seems to be a rather unpopular announcement." I whispered to Bonnibel.

"Our friend Finn has left quite an impression on Ooo, in just his few short years." She whispered back to me.

After the lunch, several of the nobles came to speak with Bonnibel, with a few cursory greetings to me. Then I retired with her to her study.

She had two blocks of clay, a stylus, paper, pen and ink put in front of me, while she returned to reading and writing letters. After a moment she stopped and looked over at me. "Sholeh, I fear I must leave the two most important letters to you. Write to your king and your prince then close the envelopes and I shall use my royal seal in clay and wax respectively."

"You don't want to read my letters before you put your seal on them?"

She raised an eyebrow at this. "Would you write something inappropriate, in your own handwriting? It's good enough for them to know that you are under my protection."

"And you could very well just open them and reseal them later yourself."

"As for that, I will have you fire the clay in this fireplace and then hand the hardened tablets to one you know well."

"Who?"

"You'll see." She smiled at me.

I did as she bid, then followed her with the still warm fired clay tablet and sealed paper envelope to another high balcony. I saw a rainbow in the sky, but it moved and revealed itself to be a rainicorn. A tiny figure leapt from the back of the rainicorn as she landed.

"Flambo!"

He looked up at me. "Flame princess? You've changed! How can this be?"

"I haven't changed that much." I put the letters down on the table and picked up Flambo in my hands.

"Careful lady! Water folk can't touch me."

"But I can."

He looked down at my hands and grasped my fingers. Then he looked up at my eyes. "Sholeh, you can't be, not one of them. Say it ain't so."

"I am not." I forced my strength into Flambo and caused him to flare brightly, then I relaxed and he returned to normal.

"Oh, that's the good stuff. Girl, you're something new, and I mean brand new."

"Lady," Bonnibel addressed the Rainicorn, "Sholeh has a letter for Finn and another letter for her father, can you see that these are delivered please?"

The rainicorn said something in a foreign language that seemed to be an affirmation. I handed the clay tablets to Flambo and lifted him back on the rainicorn's back then handed the paper envelope to her mouth. He nodded and she leapt into the sky and headed east.

That evening we returned to the same balcony for dinner that we had used the previous night. This time the brick fire container was much expanded, and had a large flame in in, even though the butler only used a small part of this to cook the meals for Bonnibel and myself.

After he left we started on the meal and then I stopped to look over at the still raging fire. "That is big enough for me to lie down in."

"Yes, but we'll try something else first. So eat up and then we can get started."

After we finished the meal, Bonnibel had me strip out of all my clothing and go sit on one of the burning logs. After a few minutes she asked how I was feeling.

"A little thirsty and the log is rough under my bare bottom."

"Then come and drink some water." She pointed to a glass of water sitting on the table.

As I stepped out of the fire I noticed that she remained sitting at the table. "Aren't I going to get something to wear?"

"You haven't noticed?"

"Noticed what?"

She held up a hand mirror and I saw that my hair was on fire. More that that, the hair had been replaced by flames, in the traditional fashion of the fire-folk. I ran my hands over it and felt flames rather than hair. "How usual and so how odd."

"Down below also."

"What?" I looked down and saw that the sparse hair between my legs had been replaced with a patch of fire. I pressed both hands over this to snuff out the fire and the hairs returned.

"Any damage?"

"Not that I've noticed, but I haven't paid much attention to my hair down there."

"Finn probably will. So perhaps you should consider shaving it off, for his protection."

My thoughts drifted back to that one glimpse I had of his equivalent parts. My thirst increased so I lifted the glass and drank down the water, then looked at the reflection of my hair of flames in the glass. "You water-folk have your own customs about reproduction. Strange that Finn did not react when I engaged in reproduction right in front of him."

"Oh?"

"When I was first released from my prison of glass I blasted three of my step mothers into seven flame babies in front of him. He reacted with fear at my power, but did not display the intrigue I had expected from engaging in that type of act in front of him."

"Are such acts common in the Fire Kingdom?"

"No, but I am, or I was, the most powerful of the fire-folk. I will admit that I have never been a match for my father's skill and experience however."

"Doesn't such an act show that you are biologically male rather than female?"

"It is far too hot in the Fire Kingdom for Biology. We exist by Alchemy instead, from what little I understand of the topic." I spread my arms wide. "Does this look male to you? And can I have something to wear, please?"

"Oh you look so very hot to me. If you weren't so young, and my sister to be, then I would be tempted indeed. Here." She handed me another of those towel-like robes. "Put this on."

"Another test?"

"Yes. Is there some effort in maintaining your hair of flame?"

"No, it seems quite natural to me."

"Then let us vary the environment."

Bonnibel led me again to the steam room and had me wait while she changed to one of those towel-like robes. Once she closed the door of the steam room behind us the increase in humidity extinguished my hair, which fell down limply on my head. She smiled at this then led the way to her chambers where we had a hot soak before retiring to her bed.

I lay there with her arms around me for many minutes as I pondered the riddle of my new nature and then drifted off to sleep as she snored in my ear. 


	5. Chapter 5

I felt Bonnibel disentangle her arms from me.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up.

"Sorry, did I wake you, Sholeh?" She stood and did some stretching exercises.

"No, I am well rested."

"Then let us take advantage of this early start to teach you some Alchemy."

We dressed together, then went down to her lab where we put on white coats and goggles.

Bonnibel showed me several formulas for making combustible materials.

"No wonder our study of Alchemy is so limited in the Fire Kingdom."

Bonnibel put down the beaker. "Because you have no access to water or alcohol?"

"Yes."

"How is your spell casting then?"

"I never learned. What was the point? I was the most powerful known elemental in all of Ooo. Anything that could not yield to my strength was unlikely to be overcome by a few simple spells."

"I know a few spells, and I will teach you one later. However I'm getting a little hungry, so let's have breakfast."

After breakfast we bathed and then put on formal dresses. While I was studying my latest dress in front of a mirror, Bonnibel walked up with a candle.

"Let's show the court your hair of fire, shall we?"

"As you wish." I reached for the candle.

"Copy the flame to your fingers and then apply that to your hair."

I did as she bid, then studied the change in my reflection.

"It's a good thing you're so short, Sholeh. But please don't linger under anything flammable."

"I once towered over the city of the goblins."

"How many goblins died that day?"

"None. I had total control of my own flames."

"We'll get back to that. One step at a time, but for now our steps lead back to the main hall." She motioned for me to walk in front of her and she kept a close watch until I sat in the chair next to her throne.

Several foreign emissaries came to pay their respects to Princess Bubblegum and the Princess of the Fire Kingdom. Even the Candy Kingdom retainers seemed more awed by me. I suppose it was the difference between holding a small flame and actually being on fire.

Finally the most adventurous of the fire-folk presented himself. I wondered if I had ever deserved that title.

"And I've been sent by the Fire King himself, to serve as a retainer for his daughter during her stay here."

"And we welcome you back to our Kingdom, Sir Flambo."

"Sir? I ain't no knight, your highness. Say... this is a mission for a knight, ain't it? So I guess I am."

"A brazier for our honored guest."

The newly knighted 'Sir' Flambo sat in the brazier next to me. And he studied me, whenever he thought I wasn't watching, while the remaining emissaries presented themselves.

Finally Bonnibel stood. "Sir Flambo, can you join your princess and myself for a private lunch?"

"I ain't got nothing else on my agenda, your highness."

I reached over and picked Flambo up. He gave me a strange look, but did not speak until I had placed him on the mini-brazier that now stood in the middle of the private dinning table.

"I ain't no baby, Sholeh."

"My apologies, brave knight."

"Now you're teasing me."

"No. Now that I have seen the dangers of the world outside our small Kingdom, I am at last awed by your years of adventures. If only I had paid more attention to the reports you had brought to my father."

"Flambo, do you know fire spells?" Bonnibel asked him.

"That's the only kind I do know."

"Can you help me teach Spark to Sholeh?"

"What, the most basic cantrip in the Fire College? You don't even know that one, Sholeh?"

"I never saw the point. As a being a pure fire a single spark added nothing, but now..."

"I guess I can see your point. It's been ages since I cast it myself. But, sure. It's a good start to the fire magics."

"Ah, lunch has arrived." Bonnibel looked over at Peppermint Butler, who carried a tray with two dishes, two cups and a saucer of coal. "Let us eat first and then we can start our dear Sholeh's lessons."

Over lunch I related the events that had happened to me since leaving the Fire Kingdom.

"So, Sholeh. This mysterious substance. Why don't we track it down so that more fire-folk can use it?"

"It is of no use for our kind. Do not worry, the source is rare and eagerly sought for other uses. I doubt anybody else will discover this use for it, as apparently nobody else has discovered it before now."

"So you do know exactly what it is."

"Yes, my knight. I do. I will tell my father and no other."

"Why shouldn't we want it? If water could no longer slay us, why we'd be unstoppable."

"I can no longer live in the Fire Kingdom."

"Lady, that makes no sense at all. Look at you, you're on fire."

"Only my hair is on fire." I raised my cup. "This heated cider is mostly water. I now consume water and the food of the water-folk. We do not have such things in the Fire Kingdom."

"Well, can't we bring such things in under flame shield spells?"

"Our Kingdom is tightly besieged by the steam-folk. Were we forced to constantly import our basic needs, then we would be forced to abandon the Fire Kingdom. This is a curse for our people, not a cure."

"Oh, so what are you going to do?"

"I shall do exactly as our dear friend here, Bubblegum Princess, has plotted. I shall marry Prince Finn of the grasslands and go live in his treehouse to guard the trade routes that lead to the Candy Kingdom and those that go the Fire Kingdom. I promise that I shall make many visits home, but please do not expect me to stay there overnight."

"Okay, but why do you need the Spark spell, what with your hair of fire?"

"I need Spark to set my hair on fire. In this new state I can carry flames, but have no way of starting fires from scratch."

"Yeah, well if my fire went out then I wouldn't be starting much of anything. I'm going to seriously consider taking that potion myself."

"I will only provide it to you, Sir Flambo, if you become my retainer. And that would be a matter for my father."

"The old man complained about having to come out all this way, but he'll be here. He wants to give away his precious little flame himself."

"Let us see to your accommodations, Sir Flambo." Bonnibel rose from the table.

"My cousin can stay with me, in my room. He can sleep in my fireplace." I picked him up and lowered him to the floor.

"You've got a room with a fireplace? Sweet!"

We followed Bonnibel to her labs, where her knowledge of the Spark spell was indeed much sharper than his. She explained that she used it on a regular basis to light candles and lamps to heat potions for alchemy.

After a few hours I was able to cast sparks more or less reliably, but these escaped from my fingers before I could switch my concentration to maintaining and growing these into regular fires. Bonnibel then left Flambo to cast sparks for me to try catching, as she returned to handling affairs of state.

A few hours later and I was almost able to catch the sparks he threw at me, when the lab door opened.

"Dinner will be served in the grand hall in an hour." Peppermint Butler stood in the doorway with a disdainful look on his face. "And your highness might consider cleaning up."

"What?" I turned to him, but he walked off.

"You'se got soot on your face, your ladyship."

"Oh?" I turned back to Flambo. "Then I guess I need to wash up. Come along and I'll show you our room."

I had Flambo select my dress for that evening then hung that on the door of my bathroom, which I left open so I could speak with him as he settled into the fireplace and I settled into the bath.

"Sholeh, that's your body you just dunked in water?"

"Yes, didn't you hear the hiss as I dunked my hair in the water?"

"It just creeps me out. Like you just committed suicide or something."

"I suppose I could actually drown now. I mean in water, not lava. I guess I'll need to learn all over again how to swim."

"Oh, what's the difference?"

"Water is much lighter than lava. I actually sink most of the way down into it. Finding a pool of hot water to swim in is another matter. These water-folk seem to tolerate much cooler water than I can stand, in my new form."

"I bet you could swim in the steaming waters that surround the Fire Kingdom, unlike the water-folk."

"And get captured by pirates?"

"Oh. Sorry, your highness."

"Don't worry about it. We really do need to think everything over from scratch." I finished rinsing the soap out of my hair and off my body. I got out of the bathtub and dried myself off. Then I squeezed as much water as I could out of my hair. I put on clean undergarments and the new dress, then I walked over and stood in front of the fireplace. "How do I look?"

"You look damp, your highness."

"Let's fix that before I get too cold. Give me a light please." I bent forwards and held up my hair in front of Flambo.

He extended his flames, but they fizzled against my damp hair.

"Try that again." I used my powers to boost the ignition and my hair finally burst into flames, filling the room with steam as the remaining water boiled off all at once.

"Your highness. Hurk! Hurk!" He started coughing.

"Flambo!" I grabbed him with my left hand, ran to the door and closed it again behind us. "Are you okay?"

He took several deep breaths to get his flames blazing again, then looked up at me. "That was a close one, but you weren't hurt?"

"No, like them, I too can survive in steam filled environments. But it does tend to put out my hair."

"But your hair is still aflame."

"I wasn't in there long. Let's get to dinner." I didn't mention how the use of my powers had kept my hair alight. 


	6. Chapter 6

The next few days passed in a daze as the entire castle prepared for the big event and the foreign dignitaries piled in. Then on the day of the wedding I awoke suddenly and looked around my room.

"It's the window, your highness." Flambo pointed from his perch in the fireplace.

I walked over and saw on my balcony Jake the dog and, "Finn, my prince!" I threw open the balcony door and rushed to wrap my arms around him.

"Sholeh! Hmph!" Whatever else Finn had to say was cut off by my kiss. He found himself thrown back by the speed of my charge.

"Careful your highness!" Jake stretched an arm to the other side of the balcony to keep us from going over the edge.

I didn't want to move an inch away from Finn, but I had to see him, so I leaned back with our arms wrapped around each other to keep our bodies pressed tight. "How did you get all the way up here?"

"Jake's a great climber."

"And my buddy Finn is lousy at waiting. I told him to wait for the wedding, but he was up way before dawn this morning, dragging me along the ground until I woke up."

"Oh Finn, how glad I am to see you again, to hold you again." Unable to resist I kissed him again.

He seemed surprised when my tongue reached for his, but he soon responded to match my passion.

"Hey, you two. Save some for the wedding."

I heeded Jake's words and pulled back from Finn. "Yes. Tonight my Prince, we will be one."

"One what?"

"Bonnibel has lent me books from her most private collection. The things they have shown me." I reached down below his belt and gave a playful squeeze. "Well, I will show you tonight and for many nights to come." I backed away and blushed.

"Alright. Knock it off you two. Come along Finn, we need to get you all dressed up for the big event."

"Just one more kiss." Finn grabbed me and bent me way back. It was only his strong grip that kept me from falling to the floor as he bent down to kiss me. Then he lifted me back up to my feet and kissed my wrist. "My lady, my light, my love. I am yours forever. While I must go now, I leave my heart with you. I will see you at our wedding." He stood and mounted Jake, who then used his powers to climb back down the castle wall.

As I stood there blushing with a passion that somehow was not quite sufficient to make me actually catch on fire. I wondered for a moment if he had spent days on those words, or if he had help with them.

I bathed, put on a formal dress (but not the wedding dress I would don in a few hours), had Flambo lend a flame to my finger to light my hair with (on the balcony this time, to keep from re-steaming my room) and set out with him to greet the many last minute arrivals.

However when the carriage of brass pulled up, I stepped up to its door alone. "Father, may I have a word with you?"

"Of course my child. Come in." The Fire King waved at the empty bench across from him.

I got in and he closed the door behind me.

"Sholeh, you've changed."

"Yes, Father. But, as you can see, I can still carry a flame."

"I meant in character, not composition. If you had still been the spoiled princess I had to lock up, then this entire castle would have been reduced to smoking rubble on the first day. And look, there's not a scorch mark on it."

"This has been a gravely humbling experience for me. For you see I was exposed to -"

"Cyclops tears."

"What, how did you know?"

"The same thing happened to a great great uncle of yours, my child."

"Now I find that I can not return to live in the Fire Kingdom."

"Because you require, rather than abhor water?"

"Yes."

"So my child, what are your plans?"

"I will marry the Prince of the Grasslands and ensure that the trade lanes to the Fire Kingdom always remain open."

"Have you not seen what a ragamuffin so-called prince he is?"

"His house is indeed humble, but there is great treasure heaped randomly about it. This is because he is, or is close to being, the greatest warrior in all of Ooo. His ability will provide the foundation for a great empire, with proper direction."

"And you my child, shall provide this direction?"

"With the help of your advice, Father. And that of Princess Bubblegum."

"The candy princess at the center of everything? I could see her hand in this, even if you weren't under her roof. I can see I chose wisely when I released you into the care of his buffoon."

"His buffoon? But Finn himself came to your court for me."

"That was Jake, using his shapeshifting powers to mimic Finn's form. I played along to see if you would notice. How does it feel to have been played a fool?"

"What?" In a flash I replayed the events of the court visit in my mind. "Father!" I leaned forwards and kissed the side of his head of fire. "You have made me the happiest girl on Ooo!"

"Careful, child. You'll burn your dress."

"Father, you have removed the last doubts in my mind as to Finn's character. The entire event was just Jake's usual buffoonery."

"And will you now roast the dog?"

"No, I will give him a kiss on the nose. For he has delivered me into the arms of my true love. I feel so very blessed."

"Careful, child. A princess of the Fire Kingdom must never cry." He reached over with his hands of fire and flashed my tears of joy into steam. "Now let us present ourselves at the court of this princess of candy. We shall show all of Ooo our true flames."

"Yes, Father."

I walked with my father for a few minutes as he met the various dignitaries, but I was soon carted away by the Lollipop sisters, to be squeezed into my wedding dress. They escorted me through the grand hall, which was being prepared for the great feast and so was otherwise off limits for the moment.

My wedding dress veil was made of the special netting used in certain lanterns, to allow my hair fire to flow along and lift it up. The rest of the dress was of more ordinary fabric, but I knew already that Bonnibel's gifts for me included several outfits of alchemically treated fireproof outfits. Half of these had clever mechanisms to allow for the expansion of my middle for those times that I would be carrying Finn's children, in the way of the water-folk.

I was interrupted from my examination of how the dress looked on me in the mirror when my father arrived.

"Come, Child. It is time." He took me by the hand, while I carried the bouquet of flowers in my other hand.

"You seem nervous, Father." I whispered to him, while we walked down the aisle between the rows of seats for the dignitaries towards where Finn waited, next to Bonnibel, Jake and the others.

"I do not know if I am more terrified of stepping out under open skies or giving away that which is the most precious to me."

"Well if the weather changes in the next few minutes, there are plans to move everything inside."

"Yes, I-"

Zork!

The Fire King was struck by a block of ice. The steam reaction extinguished my hair before I could think to exert my power.

I was lifted into the air on the arm of a blue skinned man with a goblin-like long nose. He had long white hair and beard and wore a robe and a crown.

"Finn, how dare you get married to a princess before me! And such a cutie, too. I'll just take her for myself." The old man leered at me.

"Ice King! I'll kill you!" Finn had drawn his sword and was charging down the aisle.

"Father!" I looked down at the Fire King. I saw that while his flame was much reduced, it still burned.

Then my vision was blocked by a scalding blast of steam. I was of course unharmed, but the Ice King yelped and dropped me.

I fell a few feet and then was caught by a man who was swinging from a long whip.

I looked at his scared face, with his short white hair and light gray eyes and knew who it had to be. "The Pirate Prince!"

As we came to the top of the upswing and started down he shouted out. "The Isle of Steam claims the Princess Sholeh as our own. And so we give her, without reservation, to our good friend, Prince Finn of the Grasslands." He dropped me.

Finn dropped his sword so he could catch me with both arms.

The pirate prince continued on with his swing to the top of the outer wall. He bowed to us all then leapt off the other side.

I looked up into the sky and saw the Ice King backing away, up into the air.

"Curse you Finn! I'll be back for your princess, when you don't have so many friends around to keep her from me." Then he zoomed out of sight.

I leapt from Finn's arms. "Father!"

"By claw!" The Fire King shakily got back to his feet. He turned to me and said. "The pirate prince said one thing that was true. From this day onward you will no longer be the Flame Princess." He reached over and re-lit my hair, then took my hand again and raised this. "Long live Princess Sholeh of the Grasslands and long live Prince Finn of the Grasslands."

The crowd was silent for a moment then joined in a great cheer. Bonnibel had her candy orchestra restart the wedding march and we resumed the ceremony.

I had to move my own veil back for the kiss, as it was hot to the touch, but there were no further complications that day.

Later we would have grave troubles indeed. But those dark times are stories for other days. So let me end here the story of how I became the Flame Princess no longer, on this happy note.

The End. 


End file.
